By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Ahead of a meeting between President Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who identifies as a democratic socialist, a resolution condemning socialism passed with the support of dozens of Democrats. This comes as Mamdani’s victory has brought increased attention to the political left. Mamdani stated he would focus on the work to be done to make New York City affordable. The meeting between the political rivals is set for November 21st, and the details of their discussion are expected to be made public soon after.
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Full list of Democrats voting to condemn socialism as Zohran Mamdani comes to town. It seems there’s been a lot of discussion about a recent vote in Congress, and it’s certainly stirred up a reaction. The main event? A list of Democrats who voted to condemn socialism. The timing is interesting, especially with Zohran Mamdani – a Democratic Socialist – coming into the picture.
The list of Democrats who voted to condemn socialism is extensive, and it’s important to acknowledge them: Pete Aguilar of California, Gabe Amo of Rhode Island, Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts, Ami Bera of California, Sanford Bishop of Georgia, Brandon Boyle of Pennsylvania, Nikki Budzinski of Illinois, Salud Carbajal of California, Ed Case of Hawaii, Kathy Castor of Florida, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida, Gil Cisneros of California, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, Herb Conaway of New Jersey, Lou Correa of California, Jim Costa of California, Angie Craig of Minnesota, Jason Crow of Colorado, Henry Cuellar of Texas, Don Davis of North Carolina, Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, Shomari Figures of Alabama, Bill Foster of Illinois, Lois Frankel of Florida, Laura Gillen of New York, Jared Golden of Maine, Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Adam Gray of California, Josh Harder of California, Jim Himes of Connecticut, Steven Horsford of Nevada, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Julie Johnson of Texas, Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, Bill Keating of Massachusetts, Greg Landsman of Ohio, Susie Lee of Nevada, Mike Levin of California, Ted Lieu of California, Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts, Seth Magaziner of Rhode Island, John Mannion of New York, Lucy McBath of Georgia, April McClain Delaney of Maryland, Kristen McDonald Rivet of Michigan, Gregory Meeks of New York, Grace Meng of New York, Joseph Morelle of New York, Kelly Morrison of Minnesota, Jared Moskowitz of Florida, Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Frank Mrvan of Indiana, Donald Norcross of New Jersey, Jimmy Panetta of California, Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, Scott Peters of California, Brittany Pettersen of Colorado, Nellie Pou of New Jersey, Josh Riley of New York, Raul Ruiz of California, Pat Ryan of New York, Andrea Salinas of Oregon, Brad Schneider of Illinois, Hillary Scholten of Michigan, Kim Schrier of Washington, Eric Sorenson of Illinois, Daren Soto of Florida, Greg Stanton of Arizona, Haley Stevens of Michigan, Marilyn Strickland of Washington, Tom Suozzi of New York, Emilia Sykes of Ohio, Dina Titus of Nevada, Ritchie Torres of New York, Lori Trahan of Massachusetts, Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico, Eugene Vindman of Virginia, James Walkinshaw of Virginia, Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, George Whitesides of California, and Fredrica Wilson of Florida. The presence of such a long list definitely suggests a significant stance within the Democratic party. There were also two Democrats who voted present: Representatives Janelle Bynum of Oregon and Deborah Ross of North Carolina.
It’s interesting to consider why these Democrats felt the need to condemn socialism, especially in the current political climate. Some feel it’s a wasted effort, a political maneuver that doesn’t really address the core issues. There’s a sentiment that instead of focusing on labels, the focus should be on what the people actually want: affordable healthcare, housing, food, and education. Others see it as a reflection of the influence of corporate money on the Democratic party, a desire to appease certain interests. Then, there’s the question of definition – what exactly are they condemning? As the comments point out, the term “socialism” can mean very different things to different people.
The arrival of Zohran Mamdani in the public eye further complicates matters. He represents a different strain of Democratic thought, one that is sometimes at odds with the mainstream. It’s no secret that some within the Democratic party are wary of the democratic socialist wing. The debate surrounding Mamdani and his ideas likely adds fuel to the fire. Some people are frustrated that the discussion of democratic socialists or third parties is often shut down, even within progressive circles. The rules of r/democrats, for instance, specifically prevent discussion of democratic socialists.
There’s a feeling among some that this vote to condemn socialism is a distraction. They believe the Democrats should be tackling more pressing issues. Many people point to the need to address issues like income inequality and the undue influence of corporations. Others feel the country needs to let the democratically elected leaders of cities like Mamdani run their cities in the way they campaigned. In the end, the question remains: is this a calculated move, a genuine concern about the direction of the party, or something else entirely?